"The charge of presidential treason is a rebellion accusation by forces disrupting the national order"
President Yoon Suk-yeol is delivering a live national address at 10 a.m. on the 7th, ahead of the impeachment vote related to the declaration of martial law. President Yoon apologized to the public for the martial law situation and stated that he would entrust his term and political stability measures to the party. (TV recording) Photo by Jo Yong-jun
The High-ranking Officials' Corruption Investigation Unit (PCC) abruptly initiated the arrest procedure against President Yoon Seok-yeol on this day, while the president's legal team declared it an "unconstitutional, illegal warrant." The defense team also argued that "if the PCC, which lacks jurisdiction over treason investigations, mobilizes the police riot squad, it constitutes a 'rebellion disrupting the national order' and thus treason."
On the 3rd, Yoon Seok-yeol's lawyer Yoon Gap-geun issued a statement to reporters, saying, "If the PCC executed an unconstitutional and illegal warrant with police cooperation, it constitutes the criminal act of illegal detention under Article 124 of the Criminal Act." They also stated that if physical clashes occur during the execution, the PCC and police would have committed the crimes of abuse of authority and obstruction of official duties.
The president's legal team said, "Nowhere in the history of constitutional governance worldwide has a 'president' been punished for treason for exercising 'national emergency powers' such as martial law," adding, "Labeling the president as guilty of treason is a treasonous accusation by forces disrupting the national order." They reiterated their previous stance that the PCC's warrant request and issuance, lacking treason investigation authority, are fundamentally invalid, and that executing such warrants is also illegal. They further claimed that evidence obtained through the illegal execution of warrants is illegally collected evidence and thus loses all evidentiary value.
A vehicle carrying investigators from the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Division, who came to execute an arrest warrant for President Yoon Suk-yeol, arrived at the entrance of the presidential residence in Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul on the 3rd, while police riot control buses are parked in double formation. Photo by Jo Yong-jun
They also referenced Article 212 of the Criminal Procedure Act, citing that under current law, anyone can be arrested on the spot without a warrant. They questioned the judgment of Judge Lee Soon-hyung, who is in charge of warrants at the Seoul Western District Court. The president's legal team stated, "Excluding the application of Articles 110 and 111 of the Criminal Procedure Act is a judge's decision that clearly suspends the effect of the law." They emphasized, "Only the Constitutional Court can make judgments or decisions that suspend the effect of laws; all others fall within the legislative domain."
On this day, at approximately 6:14 a.m., the PCC departed from the Government Gwacheon Complex in five vehicles to execute the arrest warrant for President Yoon. Due to traffic congestion and other factors, they arrived around 7:24 a.m. in front of the presidential residence in Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul. Currently, the PCC is in a standoff with the Security Office. Supporters are holding large-scale rallies and surrounding the residence.
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